Despite the gushing Beacon editorial today, echoing establishment conventional wisdom about John McCain, the Arizona senator came off last night as no more than a "stay the course" George W. Bush clone. McCain's (and Romney's) neo-conservatism was on display for all to witness last night. If you liked W.'s foreign policy, you're gonna' love John McCain's as well.

If you believe America has the right and the duty to pre-emptively attack countries of the world even if those countries pose no direct threat to America, then McCain's your man. If you want a new president who will keep our military in Iraq up to 100 years if it will prove the surge has worked, then McCain's your man. If you want another authoritarian, like Junior, who will smirk at and mock all who don't want endless wars of imperialism, then McCain's your man.

The Senate activity late this afternoon over the FISA bill rewrite has a certain sadness to it.

Senate Republicans, co-conspirators with the Junior White House since 2001, are still to this day going along with the childish wishes of the worst president America has ever known. It's sad to witness the Republican Senators, at this late date of the failed and internationally embarassing Bush Junior presidency, being so quick to comply with even more Junior ass-covering attempts.

While this morning's pathetic McLatchy piece in the Beacon does its best to wear racism on its sleeve.....the truth about the Democratic South Carolina Primary is that Barack Obama won in a landslide over Hillary Clinton....55%-27%....

The Reverend's family will prepare for the Lord's Day tomorrow by attending the "Rain, The Beatles Experience" service this evening at Playhouse Square. We attended last year and the rapturous rush of exhilaration was simply...how shall I say it....an uplifting spiritual experience. One worth repeating.

The New York Times gives us the latest White House gamesmanship approach to keeping our military in Iraq endlessly. The contempt this administration has demonstrated towards our law based and Constitution guided nation is no longer breathtaking, though it is that. It is now simply predictable.

In last night's NBC, GOP candidates debate, the economy was the first topic covered by NBC's moderators. After listening to the standard supply side nonsense answers (more and deeper tax cuts plus more giveaways to business) from McCain, Romney and Giuliani, Timmy Russert finds himself on the receiving end of a Ron Paul delivered backhand.

The real purpose of the invasion, regime decapitation and subsequent destruction and military occupation of the country of Iraq.....was to establish a permanent United States military presence smack dab in the center of the middle east from which American power could be projected throughout the region.

I'm typing this at shortly after 8AM Tuesday morning. The stock market is getting ready to prove to America that a deep recession is now upon us. One that's been brewing for quite awhile. DOW futures were down some 600+ points as of last night, world stock exchanges plummeted yesterday, did so again overnight, and no one really knows how far the panic effect will drive the market down today and tomorrow.

UPDATE: Wow....we're really in a lot of trouble.....the FED cut rates by 3/4 of a percent!!..................

Numbers tell stories. Beginning with the Iowa caucuses one set of numbers has repeatedly stood out. Again so in yesterday's Nevada and South Carolina primary activity. See if you can pick that one set of numbers out....

In today's post some background is needed on the little known and littler heard story of Republican felonious activity in the 2002 election in New Hampshire. I still find it curious that the 2002 felony convictions for vote suppression activity by the Republican Party is still kind of a secret to the American people.

I don't have as much time this week as I usually do. Here's a few comments about yesterday's political activity.

First....Republicans held a primary in Michigan that Willard Mitt Romney won over John MCain by 39%-30%. The Beacon this morning has the headline, "Romney's business message spurs GOP."Link The "business message" Romney had for Michigan was this....

According to this White House and to those who still support it (29%), there is only one branch of government in the United States....especially when we are at war.....and let's be fair here.....when AREN'T we?

The great scam of the current presidency has been to make us belieive we are now permanently at war. Through the phony repetitive use of one of the most ignorant bumper stickers ever, "war on terror"....with it's mandatory alphabetic nonsensical abbreviation...GWOT. My goodness, I get all disgusted again just typing the rube baiting stupidity. But I digress.

In the FOX GOP "debate" on 1-10-08, Carl Cameron asks the candidates about the so-called Reagan Coaltion of voter groups supporting the Republican Party.....whether that Coalition of cultural conservatives, low-tax, low regulation conservatives and national defense conservatives, still exists, and if it does will those same folks still support Republican candidates? Listen to how Ron Paul answers the question after he gets done backhanding Cameron for baiting him on a stupid 9-11 question.....

As Republican voters have looked around at their potential candidates for this November's presidential election, they have been less than satisfied. The Republican Party, during this election cycle, is struggling to find a candidate who will appeal to all the factions traditionally recognized within the party.

The great thing about the GOP primary, other than Preacher Mike Huckabee and his bass guitar playing, is the foreign policy realism of Ron Paul. Bless his soul. In the following clip, see how the four neo-cons....McCain, Giuliani, Thompson and Romney do their best to humiliate the good Doctor. From ABC's GOP candidates debate Saturday 1-5-08.

There's no question that the polling in New Hampshire in the last 72 hours was skewed somehow....or New Hampshire Democratic primary voters changed their minds in the waning hours before the vote. Hey, stuff happens. My enthusiam for an Obama win was fueled by the Iowa numbers and then the subsequent New Hampshire polling numbers showing Obama ahead in the Granite State. That....and the huge crowds Obama has been drawing.

Supreme Court Justices make a difference. In 2000 they sure made a difference, didn't they? Now with the addition of the early 20th century minded Chief Justice Roberts and Strip-Search Sammy Alito, it looks like the Supreme Court, kind of like FOX "News", is only an extension of the Republican Party......

I know conservatives will not like the following description of their major political party's presidential candidates and what is happening to the Party of Lincoln......but......after watching the GOP presidential candidates, this time in ABC's New Hampshire "debate".....there's only one conclusion I can come to......the fat lady is at the microphone.

America has become a nation of states ruled over by a tiny minority of powerful and wealthy people. Not news, I know, but with the most recent Ohio Supreme Court ruling against the constitutional right of Ohio's citizens to a trial by jury, a ruling the Beacon editorialized upon here, I'm reminded again of how much our once great country has lost.

I'm not sure who or what Junior and the Republicans can blame their own failed economic stewardship on......but I'm positive, he and the wizards of lassiez-faire, supply side superstition will not look at their own role in virtually destroying the perfectly good economy Junior inherited in 2001.

Chuck Todd is NBC's political news director. Chuck Todd was on Hardball with Chris Matthews, Friday 12-28, handicapping the upcoming primaries. As Matthews asks about Mike Huckabee's 8% lead in Iowa over Romney......listen carefully for the two anecdotes Todd relates in his attempt to make a case that Huckabee won't win Iowa despite the polling. The anecdote that is important here is the second one about an Iowa farmer....

Now that the home-mortgage-credit-derivitive-gambling-vehicle-bubble has burst all over the American and world market scene....and Wall Street rollers are looking for more lucrative gaming tables to play on.....where to turn? There's always oil. It's always good for a quick bubble...

It goes without saying that no group of Americans would ever try to steal an election. America is good and just and besides, almost all Americans believe in God and most confess they are Christians.....so stealing an election would simply be out of the question.....in America. It could happen in, like, other countries.....but not here.